The mating behavior comes during a month that has brought a record number of whales off the Southern California coast and an unusually high number of reports of breaching. On Monday, whale watchers with the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Cetacean Society reported a record 41 whales passing by Point Vicente in Rancho Palos Verdes.

In all, the group, which includes volunteers from Orange and Los Angeles counties, has counted 442 whales swimming south and six whales going north this month. In December marine biologists counted a record-high number of whales over a period of years. Since then they’ve counted 806 whales heading south and 10 whales heading north, said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a marine biologist and director of ACSLA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project.

Anderson said the amorous whales amazed dozens of people on his whale-watch boat and other boaters and stand-up paddleboarders nearby. It happened about two miles off Dana Point, which author Richard Henry Dana Jr. – for whom the seaside town is named – described as a “romantic spot.”

The two frolicking whales attracted curious dolphins that didn’t feel shy about getting into the mix. Bottle-nose dolphins don’t usually interact with whales.

Schulman-Janiger agrees that the courting spectacle is an unusual treat for whale-watchers but adds that gray whales generally conceive during the southbound migration.

“Most adults hang out off shore and that’s where the socialization takes place.” She said. “We don’t get to see them roll around and touch like that.”

Schulman-Janiger said she witnessed six gray whales mating on the backside of Catalina Island recently. Seeing that sight from a whale-watch boat is unusual.

She also credited Anderson for responsible whale-watching by keeping his boat quiet and away from the excited mammals.

Each year, gray whales make what most marine biologists call the longest migration by mammals. The 35-ton animals mate and give birth to most of their calves in the Baja lagoons. The whales stop eating south of Oregon and face many threats along their journey.

In recent weeks, whale watching has created almost daily excitement. Boat captains near Dana Point Harbor report many gray whales jumping out of the water off Capistrano Beach and off the Dana Point Headlands. In Newport Beach, there have been sightings just outside the harbor. In Long Beach, boat captains have seen near-daily displays near Point Fermin.

On Tuesday, Anderson took video of a gray whale that went eye to eye with a submerged view pod in one of his whale-watching boats. In January, Anderson’s staff encountered 168 gray whales, compared with 78 in January 2013.

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